Thursday, December 31, 2009

My sister and I discovered a saying in our late teens that goes something like this: Patience is a Virtue, Virtue is a Grace, Put them Together and they Make a Happy Face. Well, I need patience. Patience in the fact that it will take me a while to learn how to sew, much less on cardstock. This card was inspired by this camera bag at Mountain Gypsy Handbags for the Etsy Inspired Challenge. Loved the yellow and gray together, as well as the different patterns. The sketch was inspired by Stamping411. The image isn't of the best quality, my camera landed in the dog dish FULL of water over the holiday so I need to work on fixing it or getting another.

This card went in fifty directions, used lots of paper that was tossed and about fifty yards of thread.

Ugh, remember, Karen, patience...

If you all hang in with me, I will soon learn the art of sewing and we all can get a good chuckle out of this card when I do learn. Then we will have a happy face.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

I'm tickled pink that my mom is coming home for Christmas, my six year old is learning about probability in kindergarten, my husband can fix cars and change oil, my youngest no longer has to wear a diaper to bed, my eight year old yellow lab is still a puppy, my Smokey Joe has a house and I have a Bedroom in it and that I am very blessed with my family, health and life.

This card was created for the Etsy Inspired Challenge. I really liked the way KindlyNoted created works of art with different patterns so I found some SU DSP-same color, different patterns-and used the sketch from clean&simple and went to town making this quick thank you card.

To swirl or not to swirl. To be girly or manly. To have dimension or lay flat. Simple or complex. To be still or to move... This card was created for Everything But The Kitchen Sink Sketch Challenge. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out, since it started completely different and I almost gave up. I was able to use my new set that I got from Jacksonbelle Embellishments so I got to play along with them this week!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

It's amazing that they can get a set of five and six year olds to remember ALL these songs at one period of time...I'm glad that I have a cheat sheet to help me with the words.

Lonesome Christmas Tree:I'm a lonesome Christmas treeoh gosh oh golly gee I guess nobody wants meOh me oh my oh me I can't help wondering whyThe shoppers pass me by Am I an ugly DucklingLeft all alone to cryThen a little boy Came on Christmas EveTo buy a tree with just one single dimeThe man there said you may take this treeAnd keep your dime for this is ChristmastimeA lonesome Christmas tree No longer will I beTrimmed up on Christmas morning A shining tree you'll seeAnd we'll all have a Merry Christmas as merry as can be!What is Christmas:What is Christmas: We'll tell you, It's putting love in all we do, In our work, and in our play, In our living every day. It is showing love for other, Father Mother, Sisters, Brothers.

We are Christmas Lights: (tune: Jingle Bells)We are Christmas light, And you know it's trueWe blink red and green and sometime white and blue!We decorate our tree, to make your spirits brightJust look at all our colors when we Sparkle every nightWe blink red, we blink green, we blink white and blue.Yes, we blink at Christmas time, We do it just for you.Oh, we blink red, we blink green, we blink white and blue.Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year too!

Sometimes you feel as though you got it and sometimes you don't. This gift card holder started out with a good idea, no, a great idea (why not think big?!), in my head but for some reason I couldn't really get it to work on paper. But nevertheless, it was fun to create it for the Color Throwdown Challenge. This site is one of the more challenging that I like to participate in as the colors they showcase together are usually out of my comfort zone. So I guess that is why they call it a challenge, right?Here's the Goods: SU Real Red Gift Card Holder, Various Unknown DSP, Cool Caribbean Cardstock, Snowflake embellishments, Blue Gem, SU Corner Rounder Punch, SU Circle Punch, Creative Memories Circle Punch, SU Chitchat Rubons

Saturday, December 19, 2009

We've been married almost eight years. Sometimes it feels like a very short time, others it feels like an eternity already. My childhood name became my past with one walk down the aisle next to the man that had been my foundation for twenty three years only to turn around twenty three minutes later with a new last name walking next to the man that would become my footholds for the rest of my life. How bittersweet and exciting at the very same time. Anyways, I really hadn't thought of my own anniversary while making this card, I was just inspired by the Inspiration in Action Sketch, the frayed twill ribbon and the shabby chic design and colors. I thought they together would make a perfect anniversary or wedding card. Here's wishing me and my husband another fantastic eight years and I hope many more.

Yesterday was my oldest son's school Christmas Concert and for the sake the my relatives and friends who visit here, I've included a video that I'm hoping will work. They sang/said/yelled many songs, but this one was my favorite-called Cold Weather Fun (it is sung to Take Me Out to the Ballgame)Take me out in the winterTake me out in the snowGive me some mittens and my bootsI'm going to wear my new snowsuitOh let's root root root for winterIt's such a great time of the year!Snowballs, snowmen and lots of funGive winter a cheer!

When the concert was done, we as a family were welcomed to his classroom where each of the parents were presented with a gift. Upon opening it, I got what I've always thought would be the best parent gift ever from children: A hand sculpted object. In this case a tree. A wonderful, green, bumpy and lopsided tree all covered with loose gold glitter. I LOVE IT. I love that I can see his fingerprints, the size of his fingers, and I just know the concentration that he put in to making it and painting it.Did I say yet that I love it. It will be most meaningful christmas gift-ever-except for the little, handsome smart boy himself who was born on December 24th almost six years ago.

There are two women in my office that have taught me much about "the job" but more of life in general. I no longer have daily contact with these ladies because of a change of duties, but I want to express my gratitude, as I do every year since my employment, with a set of all-purpose cards. These were inspired by this notecard for the SCS Inspiration Challenge.Here's the Goods: SU Stamp Sets (Best Yet, Warmest Regards, Spring Solitude, Congrats) Heidi Grace Stamp Set, Basic Black Ink and Marker, Chocolate Chip Ink and Marker, White Buttons, Signo White Gel Pen

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

I'm so excited (Cheers to Me!) that I found the following challenge, Inspiration in Action while browsing the operator samples at Stamping411. Gretchen has given me a cause to pull out my SU only supplies and create! (Or I think they can be SU only, not sure!) I was excited to create my own background paper and interpret the sketch in my own style. I love sketch challenges and hope to participate in this one again. (I also hope to update with a better picture of this card sometime soon.)Here's the Goods: SU Really Rust texture cardstock, Very Vanilla cardstock, SU Earth Elements Ink, SU Brads, SU Scallop Punch, SU In the Spotlight and Lots of Thoughts stamp sets, Twine, SU Word Window Punch

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Kraft, Lemon, Light Blue, Chocolate Brown and Snowflakes, oh my!? I would never had paired any of them together, much less the five of them, but that is what challenges are all about right? And I think because I was really challenged, I am really happy with the outcome of this "bitty card." I created this gift card holder for the Embellish Magazine Snowflake Color Challenge and for my mother-in-law, who, like my firstborn, has the unfortunate experience of having a birthday near Christmas. The 1/4 inch yellow polka dotted blue ribbon was hand-stitched in the middle and then pulled to create the ruffle, and secured with sticky strip. I love the texture this creates and hope to use the technique again- I think it brings a new light to otherwise unused dust collecting grosgrain ribbon. I also painted a light yellow button with a brighter lemon yellow paint and then glazed with Crystal Effects to match the colors of the challenge better.

Monday, December 14, 2009

If I could choose a christmas style, it would be a Homespun Christmas. Lots of handmade items, eclectic mix of past and present, spending time at home with family. The holidays are here! (at OCC and everywhere!) so this was my reason to reason try the [Holly Leaf cards with Button Berries] that I've seen other people make. The sketch is from Stamping411. The patterns I chose for the hand drawn leaves and other elements and the distressing lent this christmas card to also have a homespun vintage feel.(Today is a snow day in my neighborhood so I'm home with the boys. I think I will try to contain them to one room while I attempt to clean another to get ready for our holiday company.)

Sunday, December 13, 2009

From Me To You...the stamping resources available to anyone is so amazing, and it is wonderful to be able to try new ideas. While browsing SCS, I saw the swirly antennae idea, but can't find the original card to link back to. {so if by some chance the original "originator" is out there reading this, thank you!} This card is for the latest Color Throwdown challenge. The sketch is pretty clean and simple and the wings could be folded down if it was going to be sent in the mail.

These little cards measure 4.25x2.75 inches and are meant to be hand delivered (i.e. not stuck in an envelope because I didn't make any...) The images are particular to the recipient of the cards and are hand drawn with inspiration from Marmar's Etsy Shop for the Etsy Inspired Challenge. I attempted to replicate the whimsical, bold images against a solid background capped with the metal frame. I could have made many more tags with different "creatures" but ran out of the metal tags! The sentiments were chosen for appropriate office staff usage: Thank You, Enjoy, Thinking of You and Congratulations

Friday, December 11, 2009

When I saw the color challenge of Crushed Curry, Soft Suede and Old Olive at Pals Paper Arts I immediately thought of the military and yellow ribbon pin that my coworker wears every day in honor of her son who is based in Iraq for his second tour of duty. When my sons are old enough to make their own decisions on what to do with their life, I can't say that I will not be a nervous mother if they decide to join the military but I can say that I will be a very proud one. I respect all the soldiers who are fighting for me and my family's right to be free and I wish them godspeed this holiday season. I wanted to keep the design clean and simple (and with minimal layers) so that this can be mailed to to her son overseas with a care package full of cookies and books.

Here's the Goods: I didn't get any of the SU InColors this year, so my Crushed Curry color has been substituted with a mix of YoYo Yellow and More Mustard SU ink, and I used a rough Kraft paper and Distress Ink in Walnut Stain for the Soft Suede color. Old Olive SU Ink and VersaMark Ink, Blender Pen

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Do you know any "acorns" in your life? I can think of many in my life, two of which would be my father and my Smokey Joe. They've worked so hard to be where they are and they've accomplished so much...{they've created a thousand forests}. I admire them more than I have words to say.

I created this card for the Embellish Magazine Challenge: Embellish Leaves, Acorns, & Pine Cones Color Challenge to use the above items plus the colors of rust, brown and olive. The sentiment is computer generated and the acorn is drawn and paper pieced, then colored with Prisma for some depth, with the cap first being stamped with a woodgrain. The card base is textured and the panel beneath the acorn is stamped.

I think this would make a nice card to give to someone before a job interview, an important meeting or during a hard time in their life.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

There is a post on the Flourish website asking viewers to create a card based off their favorite flower, what they are calling Floral Finesse, and a chance to win some of their new stamp sets. I'm not so sure that the poinsettia is my favorite flower, but it does bring some very good memories from my wedding almost eight years ago. We had an Almost Christmas Wedding, and our church flowers were pink and white poinsettias. Lovely, lovely time of the year to get married. I found this image of a pink poinsettia and loved the brightness of the colors and how the pink played off the green. My card is based off these two bright colors and some black to ground the card. The sketch is loosely based off one at Clean & Simple.Here's the Goods: DSP from Kelly Panacci, Black Cardstock, Whisper White SU Cardstock, CTMH Treaure Life Stamp Set, SU Small Sayings Stamp Set, Checked Ribbon, Black Button, Gable Green and YoYou Yellow SU Ink, Stazon Black Ink

Monday, December 7, 2009

The Best Is Yet To BeGold was the way to go with this card, as I wanted to create a monotone scene. The card started with the concept from two challenges, the first being from Our Creative Corner. We were challenged to create something using a line from the 12 Days of Christmas. Can you tell which I chose? Yep, FIVE GOLDEN RINGS. Then, I knew I wanted to use my crimper again, because I was really drawn to the molds that So Stinking Sweet uses in her soaps, for this weeks Etsy Inspired Challenge. I also wanted to replicate the colors from this series of soaps. This card certainly was a challenge for me because I'm not used to so many elements on a card, and only one "color", but I think it would be really nice to give for a Golden Anniversary or any anniversary for that matter. The sentiment is gold embossed, and the daisies are stamped in versamark ink as well as Champagne Shimmer Paint.This card was so difficult to photograph, I hope that my viewers are able to see the crimping and shimmer paint! I need to work on my photography skills!Here's the Goods: Various shades of cream colored cardstock, Paper Crimper, Gold Brads, Gold Embossing Powder, Square Punch, Gold Thread SU, Best Yet and Upsy Daisy SU stamp sets, SU Champagne Shimmer Paint

So I'm home today because the little one is under the weather. He's got a cough and fever and they won't let him in daycare. But you wouldn't guess that, because I can't get him to rest for the life of me...(At least he sat still enough for the picture, poor little guy his nose is all red and his cheeks pink) Anyway, I thought I would use today to wrap some gifts and get some cards done. This card was created using the Color Throwdown #71 colors this week: olive, red, pink, and a brown or cream and the sketch from Stamping 411. I was also challenged by my friend to try out the Distress Embossing Powder. I used Old Olive ink to stamp the vine and then used the distress embossing powder in Walnut on top. This stuff is...unusual to say the least, but I went with the old time feel for my other elements. I tried to distress the rain dots by coloring underneath before adhering and the other elements are distressed with the Walnut Stain distress ink.Here's the Goods: Cream, Red and Pink cardstock, Baroque Motifs and Best Yet SU sets, Old Olive and Cameo Coral SU Ink, Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Walnut Stain, Tim Holtz Distress Embossing Powder in Walnut, Fiskars Rain Dots in Pink and Red

Saturday, December 5, 2009

I don't often make handmade Christmas Cards but the few I do, I like to give to recipients that appreciate the work that go into them. Pals Paper Arts latest challenge gave me the inspiration to create something with a vintage, country feel and I'm hoping to send this out to a lover of all things country and primitive! I decided to pull out my first first stamp set and create a scene that gave me the opportunity to use the new Shimmer Paint from Stampin Up. I first stamped the snowmen, colored them in white with pencil, and painted the shimmer over. The bottom uses the snowflakes in both chalk ink and the shimmer paint. I finished with a bow and some greenery that was also painted with shimmer. It's unfortunate that the shimmer paint product doesn't photograph well, if someone has an idea on how to get it to shine, please do share!Here's the Goods: Kraft cardstock, Colorbox Chalk Ink in Chestnut Roan, Primsa Colored Pencils, Ribbon, Build-a-Brad, Greenery, SU Shimmer Paint in Champagne, SU Happy Winter Stamp Set

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Ok, here's my last card for Everything But the Kitchen Sink'sHousehold Item Challenge #4, and it's my favorite (see my other two entries here and here). I love the meaning of the card, and I love the dimension that can be created from one single little piece of wood (i.e. the toothpick). This card is one that needs to be given to the recipient in person or attached to a big box of chocolates, you know, to make them feel better. This simple but wonderful sailboat card that Kelly created for another challenge has been stuck in my head for a while and I really wanted to try the idea out. It also made me think of the things she was going through and I started to search for a great saying and this is what I found: "You cannot change the Wind, However you can adjust your Sails." I can only hope that if I ever face a challenge such as hers that I will also be able to "adjust my sails" and live my life to the fullest.

Once I had the toothpicks out I started to randomly arrange them every which way and it came to me that the tips would make a cute birdie's tail. I cut them down, glued them to cardstock, added a hand drawn felt body and then used a brown marker for the legs and beak directly colored on to the cardstock. I also wanted to keep this design fairly simple to showcase the toothpicks as the tail.

Toothpicks are truly beautiful and intricate, when you stare at them long enough. The gals from Everything but the Kitchen Sink have thrown a doozy out there for their Household Items Challenge #4: Toothpicks! After I finally located the toothpicks (in the garage-the hubby and I are going to start battling for them soon...) I started on some ideas {some worked, some didn't} and after realizing I had three workable ones, I decided that all three were pretty much worthy of submission, so I hope they don't mind three entries.

This first card is pretty literal, using toothpicks as logs and wrapping them in twine. I kept the design very simple as well as the cardstock used, wanting to focus on the aged coloring of the truck and the "logs". The sentiment is computer generated.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

I'm so very thankful for the many things in my life {My husband, my boys, my parents and sisters, my house, my job and so much more...} I'm very honored that my dear Smokey Joe asked me to create cards for her which became the incentive to enter challenges. I'm very proud of this nomination at SCS CAS, this recognition at Moxie Fab World and this shout-out at Color Throwdown. Thank you so much for recognizing my passion in cardmaking. These are wonderful sites and I would encourage everyone to participate.

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